Barca's key player reluctant to face Real

A Barcelona player, nearly guaranteed a starting spot in the El Clasico versus Real Madrid, has confessed he is unwilling to play.

Tonight (26/10), La Liga leaders Real Madrid aim to extend their current two-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the table. Coach Xabi Alonso is expected to field his strongest lineup featuring stars Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius, and Jude Bellingham from the start.

On Barcelona’s side, Hansi Flick has many attacking options such as Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, and Raphinha. In midfield, the trio of Pedri, Fermin Lopez, and Marc Casado will likely start against Real Madrid. However, Barca’s lineup choice remains uncertain as right-back Jules Kounde missed the latest training session. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski is still sidelined with a thigh injury sustained while on international duty with Poland.

Additionally, Coach Flick faces the absence of two goalkeepers, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and newcomer Joan Garcia. Garcia underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee last September. Therefore, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will take on the responsibility of stopping Mbappe and Real’s stars, although he himself admitted, “I hope the fans won’t have to see me start” in this match.

In an interview with Mundo Deportivo earlier this month, the Polish goalkeeper shared: “I’m not sure how long Garcia will be out, but I hope the fans won’t have to see me play because I want Joan to recover soon. I understand my role this season, and my greatest success will be if Joan Garcia has an excellent season. There’s no competition between us; I always try to support him as best as I can. That doesn’t mean I’m lazy or unwilling to play—I still enjoy playing, but I hope Joan returns quickly.”

Since joining Barcelona in the 2024/25 season, Szczesny has been considered the second choice behind Inaki Pena, who was expected to take over for captain Ter Stegen due to injury. However, Pena’s decline has earned Szczesny the trust of Coach Hansi Flick, and the veteran goalkeeper started 30 matches last season.

In fact, the former Arsenal keeper appeared in 3 out of 4 El Clasico matches, playing a crucial role in preventing goals and securing valuable wins for Blaugrana.

This season, luck has favored Szczesny as both Ter Stegen and new signing Joan Garcia suffered different injuries, providing the 1990-born goalkeeper with playing opportunities. To date, Szczesny has appeared 5 times across all competitions.

Looking ahead, Szczesny is likely to be trusted as a goalkeeper, aiming to help Barca minimize goals conceded against Real’s dynamic attack and provide confidence to his teammates up front.

The match between Real Madrid and Barcelona will kick off at 22:15 tonight (26/10).

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